Sporty sport touring

[barrkel]

I'm looking for suggestions on where to look for my next bike.

What I want:

- fairly sporty position and handling, but not extreme; i.e. can be ridden for 300 miles several days in a row; don't particularly want to have to add risers and worry about longer cables etc.
- less than 200kg (review kg, fictional as they may be); the lower, the better
- more than 100hp (ditto)
- a means of attaching 10+kg of luggage; pillion grab handles have been sufficient in the past, this is strictly one-up
- fairing and seating position for comfy 3-digit motorway cruising
- ABS is a bonus

My current VFR satisfies the last 4. It is about 40kg too heavy, however, and the steering isn't fast enough. I can't flick it around like I could my old ER6f.

Possible candidates:

FZ1
Aprilia SL1000 Falco
ZX-9R - pillion grab handles are just about enough
Considering mid-2000 litre bikes with aftermarket pillion grab rails

Thoughts / suggestions?
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Bikes: S1000R, SH350; Exes: Vity 125, PS125, YBR125, ER6f, VFR800, Brutale 920, CB600F, SH300x4
Best road ever ridden: www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2MhNxUEYtQ

[G]

Most sports bikes should take a decent bit of luggage with a tail pack and panniers.

ZX9 was immediate thought.

What's your budget?

[barrkel]

Budget is 3-5k, depending on value.

I'm not a fan of soft panniers, too much faff (maybe I didn't spend enough). I prefer a single drybag or equivalent strapped to the top of the pillion seat. I've had bad experiences of non-givi racks snapping from weight + vibration - the further off the end of the subframe, the more leverage all the weight has. Thus the preference for accessible hard points around pillion seat.
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Bikes: S1000R, SH350; Exes: Vity 125, PS125, YBR125, ER6f, VFR800, Brutale 920, CB600F, SH300x4
Best road ever ridden: www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2MhNxUEYtQ

[stevo as b4]

Depends on the ZX9 and the VFR800 though really.

To do what you want, I don't think I'd be as happy with an E-series ZX9R as I would with the late space age style VFR800. I also don't all things considered think that an early 2000's ZX9R is anything like as good a bike as the newer VFR's?

[Shaft]

You could try dropping the VFR's forks through the yokes a couple of millimeters, see if it quickens up the steering.

I can't see many proper supersports bikes being better than what you've got (or a newer version) for long distance touring.
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20 RE Interceptor, 83 Z1100A3, 83 GS650 Katana
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[barrkel]

[robs321]

Kawasaki Z1000sx suits the bill, but youll be lucky to find one under 6 grand!

[Aff]

929 or 954.
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Current Bikes:Honda 929RR Fireblade, Honda CD200 Benly (Project), Stomp Z2 140
Electric Bike Project

[P.]

The weight is out, but it hustles like a sports bike when you get it moving, Blackbird.

Can easily do a few hundred on it without a numb bum. Luggage is not a problem

[weasley]

Sprint ST?
Ducati ST4?
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Yamaha XJ600 | Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat | KTM 990 SMT | BMW F900XR TE

[spnorm]

Only the FZ1S on your list ticks all your boxes. The older FZS1000 doesn't handle as nicely as a VFR.

A Blackbird is heavier than a VFR and harder on the wrists.

I nearly bought a GSX-R750 K6 to replace my K1200S in 2008 as it had quite a reasonable riding position for a sports bike - not far removed from my old VFR800 and VTEC. I can't comment on the luggage situation, but there are loads of tailpack options available nowadays.

Personally I found both my VFR's brilliant for solo sports touring and never found the handling or weight to be an issue - they were more than capable of keeping up with anything on a twisty road, but lacked torque when two-up with luggage.

[MarJay]

I'd go with a 1995-1997 Fireblade personally, and buy an aftermarket grabrail.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Drax]

FZ1S is the one to go for.

For 5K you should be able to get a really good low mileage 2010 ABS.

Its able to carry pillions & luggage with ease (I know cos I've got one) & the half fairing helps over distance. There is also the option of adding lower fairings.

It's got a bullet proof detuned 2002 R1 engine & not a lot goes wrong with it. A really reliable bike.

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/mcn/bikereviews/searchresults/bike-reviews/yamaha/yamaha-fz1-2006-current/

The downside is (according to everyone on bike forums) that it's useless below 7k revs. Trust me it's not.

However, once you go beyond 7k it becomes an insane ballistic missile which will have you grinning like a grinny thing!

Well worth a look in my opinion.

[Polarbear]

Gen 1 busa
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[stevo as b4]

Guessing the Busa and it's Honda/Kawasaki ilk are too heavy for your list of must haves.

The 98-99 918cc Blade may be an option, but things like the RF900 or Thunderace while under 200kg, are not in sports tourer terms as good as a VFR800 IMO.

You might like a less than super sharp, roomy litre sportsbike like the ZX9R E-model, but again I would not rate it as anything like as good a sports tourer as a VFR generally.

Have you had a go on a Busa/Blackbird/ZZR1400 etc? If so these hyper tourers might make you realise just what a good bike the VFR800 can be for most situations?

[barrkel]

There's a lot of interesting suggestions here. The older fireblade looks particularly interesting weight-wise. People talking about the FZ1S elsewhere describe it as not particularly flickable, and that is specifically something I'm missing with the VFR - the lack of agility in urban traffic in particular makes it feel less safe, less responsive.

In a word, that's what I feel I'm missing with the VFR: flickability.

A combination of steering geometry, center of gravity and rotational inertia.

I'm going to try and commit to test riding a bunch of bikes this summer and see if I can find it. These suggestions help.
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Bikes: S1000R, SH350; Exes: Vity 125, PS125, YBR125, ER6f, VFR800, Brutale 920, CB600F, SH300x4
Best road ever ridden: www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2MhNxUEYtQ

[Polarbear]

[Shaft]